2x quality

The 2x’s are very usable depending on the application. You have to be careful though, most 2x’s come from a lumber stack that was sitting outdoors and left accessible to moisture. This means that you should let them rest flat when you get them home until they dry. Otherwise, if you use them in a nice project right away, you’ll probably experience warping.

I built my mom a porch swing all out of 2x’s. It gave it a nice rustic look. The 2x’s were used as the frame of the swing while I cut slats for the seat and back. I left it unfinished because she said that it would give her something to do. She hasn’t decided to paint or stain it yet so I don’t know what she’ll do with it.

-- There are three types of people in the world, those who can count and those who can't!

I built my two 3’ double doors (with glass in the tops) for my shop from 2xs. Milled them down and grooved each one with my router.

They turned out real nice except for the fact that I didn’t check the mostier level and they warped on me. (I have a $130 meter in a drawer but forgot to use it)

I had to install angle iron to straighten them out. That was 6 or 7 years ago and I could probabley remove the angle iron now, but I leave it on to remind me how dumb I am every time I walk out the door.

Dumb Cajun, Dumb Cajun (ect).

Bill

-- Make Dust

I jointed and joined couple pieces of 2×4 and then planed them to thickness once dry. I just pinted them to test them out and they look pretty nice. I am kind of thinking of trying to make something from 2X stuff now. It’s a lot cheaper than hardwood.

-- Rob McCune

There are books geared towards making furniture out of 2x stock, and schools of thought that say you shouldn’t. “2x’s aren’t strong enough to make furniture out of…” While that may be true, I think it’s funny, because we live in houses made out of them!

I think, depending on the application and if the lumber is acclimated, anything goes.

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

In many parts of the West you find Fir (which is what most 2X4s are) in many older buildings. It has been used for doors, cabinets, paneling and trim. Most of it has been painted over or ripped out and replaced with MDF. We have been building furniture out of Fir and other soft woods for a few 1000 years…of course no one told them they where not strong enough for furniture. I saw a bit by some experts the other day telling me if I remodel my house I have to use 3/4 inch drywall…

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

we have to be engineers to distinguish between the truth and the fear factor: buy this or else… buy this, or that will happen… truth? or fiction?

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Interestingly, the recent ShopNotes magazine had an article on working with dimensional lumber. They discussed several items about it, preparing it, selecting, sanding, etc. They also had a little blub about using 2X4 lumber to make straight grained wood, like for the top of a workbench. They would take a 2X4, rip it, and then reglue it with the straight grain facing up. An inexpensive way to create a workbench top. Sounds like it would work to me, not only for a workbench but other applications as well.

Let us know how the 2X4 project goes.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com